By Jennifer Beasley
‘Six knights are hired to rob a case of precious jewels from a coach on its way to the King. After their robbery is thwarted, the brigands realize that one of them must secretly be an officer in disguise. But which one? This is Quentin Tarantino’s film Reservoir Dogs adapted line for line into a Shakespearean tragedy for the stage.’ WORKS | stevenhopley
This play is what happens when Shakespeare collides with Quentin Tarantino to reimagine Reservoir Dogs (1992). Fast, furious and a theatrical hoot, writer Steven Hopley’s play never lets up during its ninety-minute run time in the Irene Mitchell Studio at St. Martin’s theatre. The same run time as Tarantino’s film, which also borrowed heavily from other crime movies. Reimagining a story is hard enough but to recast a film onto a stage takes some doing, especially with a non-linear narrative. Yet the audience have no difficulty accepting Shakespearean prose, Elizabethan costumes and minstrels playing in this refitted tale that easily slots into the tragedies of The Barb, sneaking in comedic elements along the way, whether they be in-jokes or breaking the fourth wall- because the irony is that the intensity of the film does have some very funny elements, the knife edge between terror and humour, oh but a cat’s whisker away.
Directed by Rob Lloyd, one half of The Ghostlight League (Cassandra Hart is the other half as well as producer and acts the role of Sir White), this is not the power duo’s first foray into iambic pentameter. Culminating as a trilogy, the first instalment being Shakespeare’s Aliens (2022), followed by Shakespeare’s Ghostbusters (2023). After seeing this production of Reservoir Dogs I feel strangely bereft that I missed those plays, such was the fun the audience and myself had during this performance.
Repositioning the film into two locations, a tavern and the woods, makes sense from a Shakespearian point of view. Done in two acts, with no intermission, the five minstrels (Chloe Towan-also musical director, Zac Rose, Lore Burns, Adam White and Liliana Braumberger) set the stage. Sitting atop of wooden crates to the rear left of the stage, an Elizabethan redo of Madonna’s Like A Virgin, gathers the audience’s concentration while the other actors collect around a large wine barrel, ending the scene as they slow-mo as a group putting on the iconic black sunglasses as a recreation of the scene from the film. The game is afoot!
Simple but effective costumes by Donna Prince, Cassandra Hart and Rob Lloyd compliments the set, with very good sound by Sandro Falce, who has just wrapped up his podcast Oldie but a Goodie. Lighting was also done well by Patrick Slee, who has worked with the company before and been involved in many productions.
Peppered with references to Shakespeare’s works; the Merchant of Venus, Macbeth, and King Lear amongst others, Playwright Steven Hopley has woven a solid adaption of Tarantino’s movie, making sure to utilise the same music, but with flutes. And Harps. And some other musical instruments used 500 years ago. Whatever they were it was great, and the audience’s heads bopped in time to Stealers Wheels’ Stuck in The Middle with You, except the words changed to Fools to the left of me, Jesters to the right!
The actors all did a good job, with a few standout performances from Elysia Janssen as Sir Orange (loved the commode scene), and a wickedly delightful Corey M Glamuzina as the psychopath Sir Blonde (consistently slimy and repulsive), both roles played by Tim Roth and Michael Madsen respectively in the film, and what prestigious company to be compared to! Rik Brown also did a great take as Mr Pink, all weaselly and cowardly, and was well supported by the other cast members. The fight scenes and the torture of Peter Mitrousis Kothe as the officer was seat squirming, and excellent direction alluding to the famous ear cutting scene sent a wave of horror through the audience. Tarantino would be impressed.
I do have an admission to make. I’d never seen the film, so I went into this play blind. Did that make a difference? I believe not, as I enjoyed the plot, the flashbacks and the musical interludes, along with the humour (‘think thyself a Charles Bronson’) and my companion pointed out the dance reference at the end to Pulp Fiction as the baritone of Zac Rose washed warmly throughout the studio as we all sang Put The Lime In The Coconut by Harry Nilsson, the closing credit song of the movie, as the actors all walked off stage, one by one.
Lastly, when I got home, I watched the 1992 movie (streaming on Stan) as a comparison. If I was Macbeth I’d say of the play, ‘thou art best ‘o th’ cutthroats.’
Fabulous fun.
William Shakespeare’s Reservoir Dogs plays at the Irene Mitchell Studio at St. Martin’s Theatre until Saturday, November 2nd.
Image: Tom Noble